Geranium plant named ‘Duebertino’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy  Geranium  plant named ‘Duebertino’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal branching habit; freely and early flowering habit; and red-colored double flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar Duebertino.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duebertino’.

The new Ivy Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely-flowering Ivy Geraniums with attractive flower and foliage colors.

The new Ivy Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 1999, of a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number E-15-14, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum identified as code number S-15-14, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Duebertino was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany in April, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings at Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2002 has shown that the unique features of this new Ivy Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duebertino’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duebertino’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Ivy Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely basal branching habit.     -   3. Freely and early flowering habit.     -   4. Red-colored double flowers.

Compared to plants of the female and male parent selections, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differ in flower coloration.

The new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Narina 98, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Narina 98 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were taller than plants of the         cultivar Narina 98.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Ivy Geranium were more intense         in color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Narina 98.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Ivy Geranium.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Duebertino’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Duebertino has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during the spring under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures about 18° C. and light levels about 4,500 foot-candles. Plants were grown with three plants per container. Plants were pinched about three weeks after planting. Plants were about eight weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photograph and the detailed botanical description were taken.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar Duebertino. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum             identified as code number E-15-14, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum             identified as code number S-15-14, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 5 days at 20° C.             Winter: About 7 days at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—Summer: About three weeks at 20° C.             Winter: About four weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine; fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant             habit, rounded; densely foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely             basal branching, about five lateral branches per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 12 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 34.5 cm. Internode length:             About 3.2 cm. Texture: Smooth. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 4.3 cm. Width: About 7.5 cm. Shape: Reniform. Apex:             Acute. Base: Peltate. Margin: Crenate. Venation pattern:             Palmate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color:             Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A;             no distinct zonation pattern. Developing and fully expanded             foliage, lower surface: 137C. Venation, upper surface: 144A.             Venation, lower surface: 144B. Petiole: Length: About             3.6 cm. Diameter: About 2.1 mm. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Red-colored double flowers arranged in             rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils.             Umbels displayed above the foliage on upright peduncles.             Flowers rounded in form. Umbels persistent, flowers not             persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; at full flower,             plants have about six open umbels with about eight or nine             flowers per umbel.         -   Flowering season.—Flowering continuous spring through             summer.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on             the plant.         -   Umbel size.—Diameter: About 7.3 cm. Height: About 4.9 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 3.7 cm. Depth (height): About             1.9 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 11.3 mm. Diameter: About 5.3 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five or six. Length:             About 2.3 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: 44A to 44B; towards base, 60B; color             becoming closer to 50A with development. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: 44C to 44D; towards base, 61A             to 61B. Venation, upper surface: 44A to 44B. Venation, lower             surface: 44C to 44D.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About six. Length: About             2 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: 44A to 44B; towards base, 60B; color becoming             closer to 50A with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: 44C to 44D; towards base, 61A to 61B.             Venation, upper surface: 44A to 44B. Venation, lower             surface: 44C to 44D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About five to six, arranged in             a single whorl. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 4.1 mm.             Shape: Elongated, tapering. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: 144A to 144B.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 10.3 cm. Diameter:             About 2 cm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Smooth. Color: 144A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.3 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A overlain with 183C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity per flower:             About eight or nine. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther             shape: Ovate. Anther color: 61A to 61B. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: 28A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma shape:             Five-parted, star-shaped. Stigma color: 60B. Style length:             About 4.6 mm. Style color: 2D. Ovary color: 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Development of seeds and fruit have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy     Geraniums. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant named ‘Duebertino’, as herein illustrated and described. 